By Being Neither A Winner Or Loser, We Are Losers

My blood boils with each passing day of the Hot Stove season. While the Mets keep signing guys like Alex Cora, Chris Coste and Henry Blanco, the Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox and even Mariners keep making big moves involving the likes of Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Curtis Granderson and probably John Lackey. I knew the Mets wouldn’t be players in the offseason, because Omar Minaya and the Wilpons are, quite frankly, morons. They have failed us and, though they would never admit as much, are more concerned with the bottom line than with putting a winning product on the field. The LA Clippers at least admit as much, so the Mets should admit this to us instead of taking us for being stupid.

But here is where I’m having a hard time….I read a report in USA Today a few days ago about the winners and losers of the winter meetings. The Mets were not considered to be a winner or a loser. Think about that. By being neither, the Mets have cemented themselves as being apathetic and non-committal to the whole hot stove process. And if you are not intent on improving your team, you are destined to lose more games than you win. It’s that simple.

And then this morning, I read this piece on Yahoo Sports about Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, he of the 97 mph fastball. Dude had a throwing session yesterday in which big league scouts were on hand and here are the teams they mentioned that sent a representative: Yankees, Red Sox, Astros, Nationals, Marlins, A’s and Orioles. Of course, there were 15 teams represented in all, so there is no telling if the Mets did indeed send someone, but the writer didn’t mention them. That’s either because the Mets did not care enough to send a scout, or because the writer did not care enough to mention the Mets. Either way, it’s adding more fuel to the apathy fire. Because really, why wouldn’t you go overpay like crazy for a guy like Chapman, who not only throws 97 mph, but is a LEFTY who could neutralize those big bats of the Phillies.

I think the version of the Mets you see now is what you’re going to get in April, plus maybe the return of Carlos Delgado. And wow, what a heartwarming thought that is during the hot stove league season.